The Australian Open started on Monday, with mixed fortunes for French players. On the side of the favorites, Rafael Nadal easily qualified.
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Let’s go ! Four months after the end of the US Open, the Grand Slam season resumes with the Australian Open on Monday January 17. The menu is loaded for this first day in Melbourne where many top seeds are entering the running. The return of Rafael Nadal, absent in New York, was highly anticipated against the American Marcos Giron, and the Mallorcan did not disappoint with a victory in three straight sets.
Expelled after a long fight with the authorities, Novak Djokovic will not face, as initially planned, his compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic, finally winner of the lucky Italian loser Salvatore Caruso. In the women’s draw, the world No. 1, Ashleigh Barty, was very present in front of her audience. She left no chance for the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, rolled 6-1, 6-0.
For his part, Alexander Zverev (seeded n°3) ended up dominating his compatriot Daniel Altmaier. A duel between French also took place on Monday: Corentin Moutet dominated Lucas Pouille. Nine French were on the courts during this first day, with a very positive balance among the men. Gaël Monfils (n°17) easily beat Argentinian Federico Coria. Harmony Tan, Benjamin Bonzi and Adrian Mannarino also passed the first round. It is however already over for Fiona Ferro or Kristina Mladenovic.